
August 30, 2020 - PBS NewsHour Weekend full episode
8/30/2020 | 23m 59sVideo has Closed Captions
August 30, 2020 - PBS NewsHour Weekend full episode
August 30, 2020 - PBS NewsHour Weekend full episode
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
Major corporate funding for the PBS News Hour is provided by BDO, BNSF, Consumer Cellular, American Cruise Lines, and Raymond James. Funding for the PBS NewsHour Weekend is provided by...

August 30, 2020 - PBS NewsHour Weekend full episode
8/30/2020 | 23m 59sVideo has Closed Captions
August 30, 2020 - PBS NewsHour Weekend full episode
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
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Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorship>> Sreenivasan: ON THIS EDITION FOR SUNDAY, AUGUST 30: OUR SPECIAL "COVID-19 AND THE CLASSROOM," WITH A LOOK AT HOW MORE FAMILIES ARE TURNING TO HOMESCHOOLING, AND ADVICE FROM THE FOUNDER OF KHAN ACADEMY, SAL KHAN.
>> EVEN THOUGH WE'RE DOING DISTANCE LEARNING, THE IRONY IS THAT DISTANCE LEARNING IS A LOT OF KIDS' MAIN CONNECTION TO A COMMUNITY, TO SOCIAL INTERACTION RIGHT NOW.
>> Sreenivasan: NEXT ON "PBS NEWSHOUR WEEKEND."
>> PBS NEWSHOUR WEEKEND IS MADE POSSIBLE BY: SUE AND EDGAR WACHENHEIM III.
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>> Sreenivasan: GOOD EVENING AND THANKS FOR JOINING US.
THIS WEEKEND OUR SPECIAL SERIES "COVID-19 AND THE CLASSROOM" IS TAKING A LOOK AT HOW THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC IS AFFECTING EDUCATION AS SCHOOLS ACROSS THE COUNTRY ARE REOPENING IN VARIOUS STAGES OF IN-PERSON OR REMOTE LEARNING.
AS OF THIS MORNING, THERE ARE MORE THAN 25 MILLION CASES OF COVID-19 GLOBALLY AND 843,000 DEATHS ACCORDING TO JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY'S CORONAVIRUS RESOURCE CENTER.
IN THE UNITED STATES NEARLY SIX MILLION PEOPLE HAVE BEEN INFECTED AND MORE THAN 182,000 HAVE DIED.
OVERALL INFECTION RATES ARE SLOWING, BUT THERE ARE CONCERNS THAT AS SOME STUDENTS RETURN TO CLASSES THERE WILL BE AN INCREASE.
THE UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA REPORTED THAT IT HAS HAD MORE THAN 1,200 STUDENTS TEST POSITIVE FOR COVID-19 SINCE THE START OF CLASSES LESS THAN TWO WEEKS AGO.
THE UNIVERSITY SAID IN A STATEMENT THAT NO STUDENTS HAVE BEEN HOSPITALIZED.
WE'LL HAVE MORE ON OUR COVERAGE OF COVID-19 AND THE CLASSROOM AFTER THE NEWS SUMMARY.
IN PORTLAND, OREGON, ONE MAN IS DEAD AFTER PRO-TRUMP PROTESTERS AND COUNTER PROTESTERS CONVERGED IN THE CITY'S DOWNTOWN LAST NIGHT.
IMAGES FROM THE SCENE SHOW THE VICTIM, WHO HAS NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED, WEARING A PATRIOT PRAYER HAT-- A FAR RIGHT GROUP BASED IN THE PORTLAND AREA.
IN A STATEMENT OVERNIGHT, PORTLAND'S POLICE CHIEF URGED PATIENCE BEFORE "DRAWING CONCLUSIONS ABOUT WHAT TOOK PLACE."
AS OF THIS MORNING, POLICE WERE STILL LOOKING FOR THE INDIVIDUAL OR INDIVIDUALS RESPONSIBLE.
YESTERDAY, CARAVANS OF PRO-TRUMP TRUCKS RALLIED.
SOME DROVE OFF THE ROUTE THROUGH DOWNTOWN PORTLAND IN THE EVENING AND CLASHED WITH PROTESTERS.
PORTLAND POLICE SAID THEY ARRESTED TEN PEOPLE.
TODAY, PRESIDENT TRUMP RE-TWEETED A VIDEO OF HIS SUPPORTERS FIRING PAINTBALLS AND PEPPER SPRAY FROM ONE OF THOSE TRUCKS, SAYING "THE BIG BACKLASH GOING ON IN PORTLAND CANNOT BE UNEXPECTED.
BRING IN THE NATIONAL GUARD!"
PORTLAND'S MAYOR HAS RESISTED FEDERAL HELP, BUT THE ACTING DIRECTOR OF HOMELAND SECURITY SAID TODAY THAT FEDERAL INTERVENTION WAS A POSSIBILITY.
>> I BELIEVE ALL OPTIONS CONTINUE TO BE ON THE TABLE, SPECIFICALLY AS WE TALK ABOUT PORTLAND.
>> Sreenivasan: THERE HAVE BEEN DAILY PROTESTS IN PORTLAND SINCE THE POLICE KILLING OF GEORGE FLOYD IN MINNEAPOLIS IN LATE MAY.
IN KENOSHA, WISCONSIN, ABOUT 1,000 PROTESTERS MARCHED AND RALLIED YESTERDAY DEMANDING JUSTICE FOR JACOB BLAKE.
>> NO JUSTICE!
>> NO PEACE!
>> Sreenivasan: THE PEACEFUL CROWD HEARD SPEECHES FROM LOCAL LEADERS AND BLAKE'S FAMILY OUTSIDE THE CITY'S COURTHOUSE.
A KENOSHA POLICE OFFICER SHOT BLAKE, A 29-YEAR-OLD BLACK MAN, SEVEN TIMES IN THE BACK LAST SUNDAY AFTER RESPONDING TO A DOMESTIC DISPUTE CALL.
BLAKE REMAINS IN THE HOSPITAL AND IS PARALYZED.
YESTERDAY HIS FATHER CALLED FOR THE PROTESTS FOR RACIAL JUSTICE TO CONTINUE PEACEFULLY.
>> GOOD PEOPLE OF THIS CITY, UNDERSTAND: IF WE TEAR IT UP, WE HAVE NOTHING.
IF YOU TEAR IT UP, THEN WE'LL HAVE NOWHERE TO GO.
>> Sreenivasan: EARLY LAST WEEK SOME PROTESTS IN KENOSHA TURNED VIOLENT-- STORES WERE DESTROYED, THERE WAS LOOTING AND AN ARMED WHITE TEENAGER SHOT AND KILLED TWO PROTESTERS.
HE IS NOW CHARGED WITH HOMICIDE.
NATIONAL GUARD TROOPS ARE DEPLOYED IN KENOSHA AND A 7:00 P.M.
CURFEW IS IN EFFECT AGAIN TONIGHT.
A SPOKESPERSON SAID PRESIDENT TRUMP WILL GO TO KENOSHA THIS TUESDAY.
SEVERAL WISCONSIN OFFICIALS, INCLUDING THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR AND KENOSHA'S MAYOR, SAID THEY DO NOT WANT THE PRESIDENT TO VISIT.
DEMOCRATS IN CONGRESS ARE PUSHING BACK AFTER JOHN RATCLIFFE, THE DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE, ANNOUNCED MOST IN-PERSON BRIEFINGS WILL END AND BE REPLACED WITH WRITTEN REPORTS.
IN A LETTER TO CONGRESS YESTERDAY, RATCLIFFE SAID THE CHANGE WILL PREVENT "UNAUTHORIZED DISCLOSURES OR MISUSE" OF INTELLIGENCE INFORMATION.
THIS MORNING RATCLIFFE DEFENDED HIS DECISION AND SAID CONCERNS ABOUT RUSSIA'S THREAT TO NATIONAL SECURITY ARE BEING OVERSTATED.
>> WITHIN MINUTES OF THAT, ONE OF THOSE BRIEFINGS ENDING, A NUMBER OF MEMBERS OF CONGRESS WENT TO A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT PUBLICATIONS AND LEAKED CLASSIFIED INFORMATION, AGAIN FOR POLITICAL PURPOSES TO CREATE A NARRATIVE THAT SIMPLY ISN'T TRUE, THAT SOMEHOW RUSSIA IS A GREATER NATIONAL SECURITY THREAT THAN CHINA.
>> Sreenivasan: THIS MORNING, DEMOCRATIC HOUSE INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE CHAIR ADAM SCHIFF DENIED THAT HE OR HIS STAFF HAVE LEAKED INFORMATION, AND SAID QUESTIONING INTELLIGENCE OFFICIALS IS CRITICAL TO ELECTION SECURITY.
>> THEY'RE GOING TO PUT IT IN WRITING NOW INSTEAD OF GIVING US AN ORAL BRIEFING.
THAT DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE UNLESS THE GOAL IS NOT TO ALLOW MEMBERS OF CONGRESS, THE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE, TO ASK QUESTIONS.
>> Sreenivasan: PROTESTERS IN BELARUS ARE ONCE AGAIN CALLING ON EMBATTLED PRESIDENT VICTOR LUKASHENKO TO STEP DOWN.
TENS OF THOUSANDS GATHERED IN THE COUNTRY'S CAPITAL FOR THE FOURTH WEEK OF DAILY PROTESTS SINCE A DISPUTED PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION ON AUGUST 9.
LUKASHENKO, WHO TURNED 66 TODAY AND HAS BEEN IN POWER SINCE 1994, HAS RESISTED CALLS TO RE-RUN THE ELECTION, WHICH WAS MARRED BY WIDESPREAD ALLEGATIONS OF VOTE-RIGGING.
RIOT POLICE WERE OUT IN FORCE IN CENTRAL MINSK, AND SEVERAL PROTESTERS WERE DETAINED.
THE EUROPEAN UNION IS PLANNING ON IMPOSING SANCTIONS ON BELARUS IF LUKASHENKO DOES NOT AGREE TO NEGOTIATE WITH THE OPPOSITION.
HE HAS ACCUSED WESTERN GOVERNMENTS OF TRYING TO TOPPLE HIS REGIME AND THREATENED COUNTER SANCTIONS.
TWO OF PRESIDENT TRUMP'S TOP ADVISORS WERE IN JERUSALEM TODAY TO MEET WITH ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER BENJAMIN NETANYAHU.
WHITE HOUSE ADVISOR JARED KUSHNER AND U.S. NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR ROBERT O'BRIEN HAILED THE RECENT AGREEMENT BETWEEN ISRAEL AND THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES TO ESTABLISH DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS AT A NEWS CONFERENCE WITH NETANYAHU.
KUSHNER WILL JOIN AN ISRAELI DELEGATION TOMORROW ON THE FIRST COMMERCIAL FLIGHT FROM ISRAEL TO THE U.A.E.
YESTERDAY, THE U.A.E.
FORMALLY ENDED ITS COMMERCIAL BOYCOTT OF ISRAEL.
FOR MORE NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL NEWS VISIT pbs.org/newshour.
>> ONE OF OUR NEIGHBORS OFFERED UP THEIR GARAGE AS A KINDERGARTEN CLASSROOM.
SO, THEY EMPTIED OUT THEIR WHOLE GARAGE, TOOK EVERYTHING TO THEIR PARENTS HOUSE AND THEY BASICALLY MADE LIKE A MAKESHIFT KINDERGARTEN ROOM IN THEIR GARAGE.
AND THEN WE USE OUR BACKYARD AS A RECESS AREA OCCASIONALLY AND ALSO AS A LUNCH AREA.
AND SO DOES ANOTHER FAMILY.
IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT, THE ZOOMS ARE NINE, ELEVEN AND ONE, AND THAT'S WHEN MOST OF MY MEETINGS AND WHEN MOST OF MY WIFE'S MEETINGS ARE.
SO, THERE IS NO WAY, THERE WAS NO WAY WE WERE GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS.
UM, WE NEEDED HELP.
>> Sreenivasan: HAVING CHILDREN AT HOME LEARNING REMOTELY IS AN ADDED BURDEN FOR PARENTS RETURNING TO WORK, OR TRYING TO WORK AT HOME THEMSELVES, AND IT'S FORCING MANY TO SCRAMBLE FOR SOLUTIONS.
SOME ARE ORGANIZING SCHOOLING PODS WITH A SMALL GROUP OF STUDENTS AND A PAID TUTOR OR TEACHER.
ANOTHER ALTERNATIVE GAINING POPULARITY IS HOMESCHOOLING.
IN THE SPRING OF 2019, AN ESTIMATED 3% TO 4% OF SCHOOL- AGED CHILDREN WERE HOMESCHOOLED, ACCORDING TO THE NATIONAL HOME EDUCATION RESEARCH INSTITUTE.
THAT NUMBER IS EXPECTED TO INCREASE DUE TO COVID-19.
NEWSHOUR WEEKEND'S IVETTE FELICIANO RECENTLY CAUGHT UP WITH TWO PARENTS IN GEORGIA.
THEY'VE HOMESCHOOLED THEIR KIDS FOR MANY YEARS AND HAVE ADVICE FOR PARENTS LOOKING TO MAKE THE LEAP TO HOMESCHOOLING.
>> Reporter: WHEN NEWSHOUR WEEKEND FIRST MET UP WITH THE SARDEN FAMILY IN THEIR GEORGIA HOME BACK IN 2018, JUDY SARDEN WAS ALMOST SIX YEARS INTO HOMESCHOOLING HER TWO KIDS, AIDAN AND HALEY, WHO WERE THEN TEN AND NINE.
IN MARCH, WHEN COVID-19 BEGAN TO RAPIDLY SPREAD IN THE U.S., GEORGIA GOVERNOR, BRIAN KEMP ORDERED THE CLOSURE OF ALL PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES.
AND IN EARLY APRIL HE ISSUED A SHELTER IN PLACE ORDER, SENDING PARENTS SCRAMBLING TO KEEP THEIR KIDS LEARNING WHILE DOING FULL TIME JOBS.
ACCORDING TO SARDEN, IT WAS A LITTLE DIFFERENT AT HER HOME.
>> THE FIRST FEW DAYS OF THE PANDEMIC WERE... KIND OF SURREAL, I THINK IS PROBABLY THE BEST WAY I CAN PUT IT.
UM, YOU KNOW, OUR SCHOOLING, THE SCHOOLING PORTION OF OUR LIVES DIDN'T CHANGE BECAUSE WE JUST KIND OF PLUGGED ALONG AS WE ALWAYS WERE, BUT NOT BEING ABLE TO GET OUT OF THE HOUSE WAS REALLY CRAZY FOR ME.
AND THAT IS BECAUSE I'M TYPICALLY OUT OF THE HOUSE EVERY SINGLE DAY OF THE WEEK.
>> WE WERE ACTUALLY OUT OF THE COUNTRY.
SO, WE WERE IN THE MIDST OF A WORLD SCHOOLING TRIP.
>> Reporter: AMBER JOHNSTON, A WIFE AND HOMESCHOOLING MOTHER OF FOUR, ALSO FROM GEORGIA, WAS IN GREECE WITH HER KIDS AT THE TIME, THE FIRST LEG OF THEIR SIX COUNTRY EUROPE TOUR.
>> BUT I WAS GETTING ALL THESE TEXT MESSAGES, URGENT TEXT MESSAGES AND EMAILS FROM BACK HOME ASKING ME TO RETURN, FRIENDS CONCERNED, WONDERING WHAT WE WERE DOING.
AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, THINGS WERE BECOMING MORE PANICKED HERE IN THE STATES THAN THEY WERE WHERE WE WERE.
BUT IN TERMS OF SCHOOL, MUCH LIKE WHAT JUDY SAID, WE DIDN'T MISS A BEAT.
WE WERE-- WE HAD OUR BOOKS WITH US AND WE WERE DOING THE THINGS WE NORMALLY DO.
>> Reporter: THE JOHNSTON'S SOON RETURNED HOME, BUT AS THE TWO FAMILIES SETTLED INTO WHAT BECAME A ONE-MONTH SHELTER IN PLACE ORDER, THEIR PROFESSIONAL LIVES BEGAN TO CHANGE.
THE CHOICE TO EDUCATE THEIR KIDS AT HOME THAT AT TIMES IN THE PAST WAS MET WITH SKEPTICISM, WAS NOW SEEN AS AN ASSET.
THEY BEGAN FIELDING MORE AND MORE CALLS FROM PARENTS LOOKING TO BETTER MANAGE THEIR NEW SITUATIONS.
>> IN ADDITION TO MY PRIVATE ONE ON ONE CONSULTATION PICKING UP, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ARE REACHING OUT TO ME AND INDIVIDUALS ARE, BUT I'M ALSO WORKING WITH CORPORATIONS NOW.
YOU KNOW, TO HELP THEM PROVIDE THEIR EMPLOYEES WITH STRATEGIES AND THINGS LIKE THAT SO THAT THEY CAN BECOME MORE PRODUCTIVE AND MORE ENGAGED WHILE WORKING FROM HOME WHILE ALSO MANAGING THEIR KIDS.
BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, MOST, MOST PEOPLE DIDN'T CHOOSE THIS.
>> Reporter: AS SCHOOLS BEGIN TO OPEN UP AROUND THE COUNTRY WITH VARIOUS FORMS OF IN-PERSON LEARNING OR VIRTUAL CLASS, SOME PARENTS, DISSATISFIED WITH WHAT'S ON OFFER, ARE LOOKING MORE AND MORE AT HOMESCHOOLING.
ACCORDING TO THE NATIONAL HOME SCHOOL ASSOCIATION, IN A SINGLE DAY LAST MONTH THE ORGANIZATION RECEIVED 3,400 REQUESTS FOR INFORMATION, UP FROM A HANDFUL OF INQUIRIES PER DAY BEFORE THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC.
BUT SARDEN CAUTIONS THAT WHAT MANY PARENTS WERE DOING WITH THEIR KIDS' EDUCATION IN THE SPRING WITH DISTANCE LEARNING WAS NOT TRADITIONAL HOMESCHOOLING, AND THAT PARENTS NEED TO PREPARE AND EDUCATE THEMSELVES ABOUT STATE REGULATIONS BEFORE BECOMING HOME EDUCATORS.
>> WHAT PEOPLE HAVE BEEN DOING IS PANDEMIC SCHOOLING.
THEY HAVE BEEN SCRAMBLING, SCHOOL DISTRICTS HAVE BEEN, IN THE SPRING THEY THREW TOGETHER WHATEVER THEY COULD TO TRY TO HELP PEOPLE CONTINUE ON, AND IT'S JUST A HODGEPODGE.
YOU KNOW, I KNEW SEVEN MONTHS BEFORE I STARTED HOMESCHOOLING, I WAS GOING TO START HOMESCHOOLING, AND I PLANNED, I WENT TO HOMESCHOOL CONVENTIONS.
I TALKED TO PEOPLE.
I DID RESEARCH.
>> Reporter: AS MANY PARENTS HEAD BACK INTO PHYSICAL BUILDINGS FOR WORK, BOTH WOMEN AGREE THAT WHETHER YOU WORK IN A FACTORY, OFFICE BUILDING, OR ARE WORKING FROM HOME, HOMESCHOOLING IS MORE FEASIBLE THAN SOME MIGHT IMAGINE.
>> THE THOUGHT THAT SCHOOL DOESN'T HAVE TO START AT 8:30 AND END AT 2:30, BUT YOU'RE LOOKING AT THOSE EQUIVALENT HOURS AND THROUGHOUT THE SPAN OF AN ENTIRE SEVEN DAYS, ALL THE HOURS THAT YOU'RE NOT AT WORK, CAN YOU SCHEDULE SOME SCHOOL THINGS TO INTRODUCE NEW LESSONS, SPARK IDEAS, TEACH THINGS DURING THAT TIME, AND THEN SET UP THINGS THAT YOUR KIDS CAN DO INDEPENDENTLY.
AND EVEN MY SEVEN-YEAR-OLD HAS THINGS HE CAN DO INDEPENDENTLY.
>> Reporter: AND FOR JOHNSTON, WHILE THE PANDEMIC HAS BROUGHT NEWFOUND INTEREST IN THE WORLD OF HOMESCHOOLING, THIS TEACHING MOMENT HAS BEEN ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT FOR A DIFFERENT REASON.
IN MAY, MASS ANTI-RACISM PROTESTS SWEPT THE NATION FOLLOWING THE DEATH OF GEORGE FLOYD AT THE HANDS OF POLICE IN MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.
AS THESE EVENTS UNFOLDED MORE HOME EDUCATORS TURNED TO HER FOR GUIDANCE AS THEY ATTEMPTED TO INCORPORATE MORE BLACK HISTORY AND VOICES INTO THEIR CURRICULUMS.
>> AND SO, WHAT I SEE AHEAD OF US IS A LOT OF WORK THAT PARENTS AND CURRICULUM PROVIDERS AND WRITERS AND ALL OF US ARE GOING TO HAVE TO DO TO CONTINUE THE SHIFT THAT STARTED DURING THE PANDEMIC OF WANTING SOMETHING NEW AND DIFFERENT AND BETTER AND MORE INCLUSIVE TO PRESENT TO OUR CHILDREN.
>> WE WERE GIVEN THE OPTION TO CHOOSE BETWEEN HYBRID OR STRAIGHT UP ONLINE LEARNING.
THAT CHANGED.
THE COUNTY FINALLY ASKED US TO GO COMPLETELY ONLINE.
ALL OF THESE THINGS ARE IMPACTING THEIR MENTAL BEING, AND THAT'S MY GREATEST FEAR AS A PARENT, YOU KNOW, KEEPING THEM AT HOME AND THEY DON'T HAVE THIS PERSON-TO-PERSON INTERACTION.
THEY ARE LOSING THEIR SOCIAL SKILLS.
HAVING...
YOUR OWN PERSONAL WORK TO DO.
LIKE WITH ME, I MEAN, I AM NOT ONLY A MOTHER.
I AM A STUDENT, AND NOW I AM A TEACHER.
I AM JUST LIKE WEARING MULTIPLE HATS AND IT IS REALLY FRUSTRATING.
SO I WOULD LOVE FOR MY KIDS TO GET BACK TO SCHOOL SO I DON'T HAVE TO DEAL WITH ALL OF THIS.
BUT AT THIS POINT, WHAT CAN WE DO?
>> Sreenivasan: WHEN SAL KHAN FOUNDED THE KHAN ACADEMY WEBSITE IN 2008 HIS MISSION WAS TO PROVIDE FREE EDUCATION FOR ALL BY PROVIDING ONLINE TOOLS, SOFTWARE AND VIDEO TUTORIALS ON DOZENS OF SCHOOL SUBJECTS.
SINCE THEN, HIS SITE HAS GROWN, WITH MORE THAN 100 MILLION USERS AND VIDEOS IN 46 LANGUAGES.
I SPOKE WITH SAL KHAN RECENTLY IN PART ABOUT A RECENT BIT OF ADVICE HE OFFERED IN "THE NEW YORK TIMES."
HOW TO "AVOID AN EDUCATION CATASTROPHE" AS SCHOOLS, PARENTS AND STUDENTS CONTINUE TO NAVIGATE THESE UNCERTAIN WATERS.
SAL, I'M ASSUMING THAT PEOPLE ARE USING KHAN ACADEMY MORE NOW THAN THEY HAVE PRE-PANDEMIC?
>> YEAH, PRE-PANDEMIC, WE HAD ABOUT 20 MILLION FOLKS COMING PER MONTH AND THEY WERE USING US ABOUT 30 MILLION MINUTES PER DAY.
LAST SPRING, WE SAW THAT INCREASE DRAMATICALLY, ABOUT 250% OF NORMAL.
WE SAW ABOUT 85 MILLION MINUTES A DAY, 30 MILLION FOLKS DOING THAT, AND IT WAS PRETTY MUCH ALL OVER THE WORLD.
>> Sreenivasan: SO, THIS IS ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT I'M SURE THAT YOU'VE THOUGHT THROUGH, BUT KHAN ACADEMY IS NOT A REPLACEMENT.
I MEAN, IT CAN BE A SUPPLEMENT, BUT IT DOESN'T REPLACE WHAT HAPPENS IN A CLASSROOM, RIGHT?
>> YEAH.
YOU KNOW, I WAS SPEAKING AS SOMEONE WHO'S INADVERTENTLY BECOME SOMETHING OF A POSTER CHILD FOR ONLINE EDUCATION, AND I'LL BE THE FIRST TO SAY THAT FOR MY OWN CHILDREN OR ANYONE WITH CHILDREN, IF I HAD TO PICK BETWEEN AN AMAZING TEACHER IN A PHYSICAL CLASSROOM AND THE WORLD'S BEST TECHNOLOGY, I WOULD PICK THE AMAZING TEACHER EVERY TIME.
NOW, PRE-PANDEMIC, WE IN THEORY COULD DO BOTH.
WE COULD HAVE AMAZING TECHNOLOGY IN SERVICE TO AN AMAZING TEACHER.
BUT NOW THAT WE HAVE THE HAND THAT WE'RE DEALT, WE HAVE THE CONSTRAINTS OF, OF COVID, AND WHAT WE'RE SAYING AND WE'RE REALLY SEEING TEACHERS DO THIS WELL IN CERTAIN POCKETS IS EVEN THOUGH WE'RE DOING DISTANCE LEARNING, THE IRONY IS THAT DISTANCE LEARNING IS A LOT OF KIDS' MAIN CONNECTION TO A COMMUNITY, TO SOCIAL INTERACTION RIGHT NOW.
>> Sreenivasan: HOW DOES A TEACHER BUILD COMMUNITY ACROSS SCREENS?
>> WELL, RIGHT WHEN A TEACHER GETS ON TO THEIR VIDEO CONFERENCE AND HIGHLY RECOMMEND AT LEAST ONE TOUCH POINT PER DAY.
AND, FIRST OF ALL, THEY CAN RETHINK HOW THAT IS.
IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE WHAT YOU WERE DOING IN THE PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT WHERE IT WAS AN HOUR A DAY, FIVE DAYS A WEEK.
IT COULD BE 10 MINUTES EACH DAY, BUT WITH A SMALLER GROUP OF STUDENTS THAT YOU CAN FOCUS IN ON AND MAKE SURE YOU GET TO KNOW THEM.
WHEN YOU GET ON THE CONFERENCE CALL OR THE VIDEO CONFERENCE, TRY TO PULL THEM OUT.
ASK THEM WHAT THEY'RE DOING TODAY, HOW ARE THEY FEELING.
SPEND FIVE MINUTES DOING THAT.
AND THEN, AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, ASK THEM INTERESTING QUESTIONS AND ASK THEM TO WORK WITH EACH OTHER, IDEALLY IN VIRTUAL BREAKOUTS OR WHATEVER ELSE.
THAT'S GOING TO-- THAT'S WHAT'S GOING TO REALLY GET THE KIDS INTERACTING AND GET TO A GOOD MENTAL PLACE.
>> Sreenivasan: YOU KNOW, THAT MENTAL PORTION OF IT THAT YOU'RE REFERENCING IS SO IMPORTANT.
I MEAN HOW, YOU KNOW, IT'S ONE THING IN A PHYSICAL CLASSROOM WHERE A TEACHER IS ABLE TO SEE THAT THE CHILD JUST REALLY HASN'T SLEPT MUCH AND IS TIRED AND CAN GO OVER AND ASK WHAT'S GOING ON AT HOME.
HOW DOES THAT HAPPEN ACROSS THIS MEDIUM NOW?
>> THIS IS CLEARLY A SUB-OPTIMAL SITUATION.
YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT THAT JUST BODY LANGUAGE THAT AFFECTS THAT YOU CAN GET WHEN YOU'RE IN THE ROOM WITH SOMEONE, IT'S MUCH HARDER OVER VIDEO CONFERENCE.
I'VE SEEN SOME DISTRICTS DO SOME THINGS PRETTY WELL.
THE PHOENIX SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS MADE A POINT OF AN ADULT FROM THE DISTRICT TRYING TO CALL EACH KID AT LEAST ONCE PER DAY TO ASK EXACTLY THOSE TYPES OF QUESTIONS.
AND, IN SOME WAYS, THAT MIGHT BE BETTER THAN WHAT A LOT OF STUDENTS WERE GETTING WHEN YOU JUST SHOW UP AND YOU'RE ONE OF 30 KIDS IN A CLASSROOM.
NOW AT LEAST SOMEONE, MAYBE IT MIGHT BE A TWO OR THREE MINUTE CALL, BUT THEY'RE CHECKING IN ON YOU.
ANOTHER REALLY SOLID PRACTICE THAT I'VE, I'VE SEEN IS IN MARYLAND.
THERE'S ABOUT 5% OR 10% OF THE POPULATION THAT EVEN WHEN THEY'RE DISTRIBUTING LAPTOPS AND GETTING INTERNET CONNECTIONS, THEY JUST DON'T HAVE THE SUPPORTS AT HOME.
THEY DON'T HAVE THE CONTEXT AT HOME.
AND SO, WHAT THEY'RE DOING IS THEY'RE OPENING UP THE SCHOOLS FOR DISTANCE LEARNING SO THE TEACHERS AREN'T THERE, BUT THE STUDENTS CAN GO THERE INTO A SAFE ENVIRONMENT.
THEY CAN GET THEIR MEALS WHAT OTHER-- WHATEVER OTHER SOCIAL SERVICES THEY NEED.
AND THEN THERE ARE KIND OF CHILDCARE FOLKS THERE THAT CAN HELP MAKE SURE THAT THE KIDS ARE ON TASK IN A COVID SAFE WAY.
SO THAT'S A REAL GOOD STOPGAP MEASURE FOR THE 5% OR 10% OF THE POPULATION THAT WE, FRANKLY, I'M MOST WORRIED ABOUT RIGHT NOW.
>> Sreenivasan: SO, IT SEEMS LIKE THERE IS A POSSIBILITY HERE THAT SOME OF THE LESSONS THAT WE LEARN AND HOW TO KEEP IN TOUCH WITH OUR STUDENTS SHOULD LAST EVEN AFTER THIS IS GONE.
I MEAN, IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE A BAD IDEA TO HAVE SOMEONE FROM A SCHOOL DISTRICT REACH OUT TO A CHILD EVERY DAY AND MAKE SURE THAT THERE IS THAT CONNECTION THERE.
>> YEAH, YEAH, I THINK THAT'S THE INTERESTING THING.
YOU KNOW, AS SUB-OPTIMAL AS THE SITUATION IS, IT'S PUTTING EVERYONE INTO KIND OF THIS INNOVATIVE, CREATIVE, EXPERIMENTAL STATE.
TEACHERS ARE TRYING NEW THINGS AND, TO SOME DEGREE, THEY HAVE MORE PERMISSION TO INNOVATE RIGHT NOW BECAUSE THE ALTERNATIVE IS, IS NOT THAT GREAT.
SO, WE'RE SEEING A LOT OF TEACHERS TRY THINGS, SOMETIMES THEY'RE WORKING, BUT IT'S OKAY IF THEY FAIL.
THEY CAN FAIL FORWARD ON THAT.
AND WE'RE SEEING A LOT OF INNOVATION OUT THERE.
YOU KNOW, EVEN ON THE KHAN ACADEMY SIDE, WE'RE CREATING NEW COURSES TO MAKE SURE KIDS CAN FILL IN ALL THE GAPS THEY HAVE, GET READY FOR GRADE LEVEL COURSES.
I HAVE A SEPARATE SKUNKWORKS PROJECT CALLED SCHOOLHOUSE WORLD, ANOTHER NONPROFIT.
WE'RE, WE'RE TRYING TO MATCH KIDS WHO NEED FREE TUTORING.
AND IT'S OPEN TO ANYONE WITH AMAZING VOLUNTEER TUTORS WHO ARE WILLING TO PROVIDE THESE TYPES OF EXPERIENCES.
AND EVERYTHING THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT, BEST PRACTICES ON A VIDEO CONFERENCE CLASSROOM, THESE ARE ACTUALLY THE BEST PRACTICES IN A PHYSICAL CLASSROOM AS WELL.
YOU KNOW, JUST A ONE TO MANY LECTURE HAS NEVER BEEN THE MOST ENGAGING THING.
IT'S ALWAYS GREAT WHEN YOU'RE HAVING A CONVERSATION WHEN YOU WERE ABLE TO WORK IN BREAKOUTS AND REALLY COLLABORATE ON THINGS.
>> Sreenivasan: OKAY.
SAL KHAN, KHAN ACADEMY.
THANKS SO MUCH.
>> THANK YOU.
>> IT'S BEEN A WAITING GAME, AND IT'S BEEN A LOT OF UNCERTAINTY, AND I THINK THAT ADDS TO AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF ANXIETY I THINK EVERYBODY HAS RIGHT NOW.
I HONESTLY TRY TO HAVE PATIENCE AND GRACIOUSNESS WITH THAT, BECAUSE I THINK WITH THIS VIRUS, EVERY DAY BRINGS NEW INFORMATION.
YOU KNOW, IT'S A WAITING GAME.
BUT TODAY IS OFFICIALLY THEIR FIRST DAY.
THEY'RE CERTAINLY SIGNED UP ON THEIR iPADS THIS MORNING, READY FOR THEIR FIRST MEETINGS WITH THEIR TEACHERS.
THE PLAN IS HYBRID.
SO, TUESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY, GROUP A, GROUP B, DEPENDING ON YOUR LAST NAME.
IT'S ALL ABOUT BEING FLEXIBLE AT THIS POINT.
I WANTED SOMETHING CONCRETE.
MY FRIEND HAD A REALLY GOOD ANALOGY.
SHE SAID, YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE TRYING TO BUILD A STRUCTURE IN THE MIDDLE OF A HURRICANE.
AND, YOU KNOW, THE WEATHER KEEPS CHANGING.
THE MATERIAL IS, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN'T.
YOU CAN'T DO THAT.
AND WE HAVE TO JUST BE FLEXIBLE.
>> Sreenivasan: THAT'S ALL FOR THIS EDITION OF "PBS NEWSHOUR WEEKEND."
FOR THE LATEST NEWS UPDATES VISIT pbs.org/newshour.
I'M HARI SREENIVASAN.
THANKS FOR WATCHING.
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Making virtual learning work for you: Tips from Sal Khan
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Clip: 8/30/2020 | 5m 35s | Making virtual learning work for you: Tips from Khan Academy founder Sal Khan (5m 35s)
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